Trust for the National Mall names new board members

The Trust for the National Mall welcomed three new members to its board of directors.

C. Boyden Gray, Maxine Isaacs and Steve Ricchetti will help the trust manage the National Mall’s $350 million maintenance budget.

C. Boyden Gray served as U.S. Ambassador to the European Union under President George W. Bush and as White House Counsel under President George H.W. Bush.

Maxine Isaacs comes to the trust’s board of directors as a Harvard University faculty member and former aid to former U.S. Sen. and Vice President Walter Mondale.

Steve Ricchetti, deputy chief of staff under President Bill Clinton from 1999 to 2001, brings business and government experience to the board. In addition to leading the Clinton administration’s legislative affairs and political operations, Ricchetti founded Ricchetti Inc. and is currently a principal with the ceramic tile company.

Despite the National Mall’s $350 million budget, its board of directors estimates that the park needs an additional $150 million in visitor improvements to remedy 30 years of neglect.

Trust for the National Mall Chairman Chip Akridge celebrated the additions. “Their respective talents, experience, and judgment will be a tremendous asset to [us] as we seek to raise the $500 million necessary to restore and improve the National Mall.”

Restorations may include improving gravel walkways, providing more parking, adding more restrooms, and expanding the mall’s dining options